


Experiment Subject: Will Cipher

by fairandfoul



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reverse Falls, M/M, Manipulation, Reverse Pines, a bit of violence, a lot of manipulation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-14
Updated: 2015-05-14
Packaged: 2018-03-30 12:48:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3937366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairandfoul/pseuds/fairandfoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Gleeful Twins get a new toy demon who may be hiding something. </p><p>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br/>The psychic raised an eyebrow at the sight of said demon tied up in his lab. He was still doubtful that this nervous wreck was the all-powerful being of pure energy with no weaknesses. “Frankly my sister and I were very disappointed to see you, all sniveling and teary-eyed on the floor. We have big plans for this town and we need a real demon for the job.”</p><p>“Please don’t-“</p><p>“I guess we’ll have to find another demon. But for now, I’m going to conduct a few experiments.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Preliminary

**Author's Note:**

> *more tags as we go along!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just in case:  
> TW: torture, blood, bones breaking
> 
> in order to avoid/minimize the confusion which Bill is which:  
> Rev!Bill -> Will  
> Normal asshole dorito -> Bill  
> 

“Stop fidgeting,” Dipper growled as he pulled the restraints tighter around the demon’s ankles. There were sigils on the leather that made the straps indestructible even for dream demons older than humanity itself. Not that William Cipher was going to try something completely stupid such as attempt to escape. After all, Will was Dipper and Mable’s new demon plaything and Dipper called dibs to play with their toy first.

“I… I don’t… I don’t like this game. C-can we-” Will flinched as the other adjusted the straps on his wrists. The demon’s limbs were spread on the metal surface. The table was steady enough. Dipper made sure of it since some toys liked to thrash around. It was freezing in Dipper’s lab, but he was used to it. However, he did notice that the demon was not shivering despite wearing only a thin white button up shirt and black trousers. Will squinted at the florescent light directly above his body, blinking rapidly before turning his attention to the human who was undoing his button up shirt.

The brunet responded tersely, “no”. He rolled up the sleeves of his cyan dress shirt and flicked stray brown locks from his eyes. He had taken off his bolo tie earlier and safely hidden it away from the dream demon’s reach. The demon didn't appear to be a threat, but Dipper couldn't risk it in the very slim chance something dangerous happened. He nonchalantly strolled away from Will and towards a small table, running his hand on the deadly instruments that lay across. A lazy smirk crawled on his face as he pondered which he should use first.

“Dip… Dipper-“ Will sounded so small and vulnerable, like a tiny kitten about to be slaughtered.

“I said no,” Dipper picked up a butcher’s knife to examine it. He let out a grunt, noticing splotches of blood still stained it. He would have a little chat with his twin sister about borrowing his things later. Dipper settled for a scalpel and twirled it expertly in his hand. Will watched him return to his side, holding up the scalpel for Will to see. The demon inhaled sharply.

Dipper chuckled. With his free hand, he pushed away the blue locks that covered the other’s eyes. They were a captivating shade of blue; Dipper wanted to rip them out and display them in a jar. Will bit down on his bottom lip, eyes still on the scalpel.

“There is something odd about you.” Dipper had a wicked gleam in his hazel eyes like a mad scientist sneering at a lab rat. “According to the journal, you are one of the most powerful dream demons to ever exist.” The psychic raised an eyebrow at the sight of said demon tied up in his lab. He was still doubtful that this nervous wreck was the all-powerful being of pure energy with no weaknesses. “Frankly my sister and I were very disappointed to see you, all sniveling and teary-eyed on the floor. We have big plans for this town and we need a real demon for the job.”

“Please don’t-“

“I guess we’ll have to find another demon. But for now, I’m going to conduct a few experiments.” Dipper wanted to know more on the demon's human form and its healing abilities. In order to do that he would have to break said demon. It was to further his research, but that doesn't mean it can’t be fun. He made a small incision on Will’s cheek and Will’s leg jerked. A bit of blood spilled out from the cut. His face broke into an grin while Will controlled his breathing. Mischievously chuckling to himself, Dipper carved the Big Dipper on the left side of Will’s chest, right below the collarbone. He could practically hear Mabel whine about Will being _their_ demon and not just his.

Dipper turned to his table, picked up a new instrument, and showed it to Will playfully. The latter licked his lips and crinkled his forehead. “This is going to hurt,” Dipper laughed as he smashed the hammer onto the demon’s left arm and laughed even harder at the crunching sound of bones breaking. The dream demon hadn't let out a cry for mercy yet. Curiously, he peered at Will’s face through his lashes only to see Will’s eyes shut tightly and exhaling though his mouth.

The psychic twin hammered on Will’s knee, irked at the lack of screaming and tears. It was as if the demon was mocking him, which infuriated him more. The only response he received were spasms and Will’s face turning bright red. Dipper gritted his teeth; he had done this several times before. He was supposed to be good at this! Why wasn't the demon begging for mercy yet?  Dipper's pride took a huge blow at the demon's resistance. In his fit of rage, he took it out on the demon’s legs. Sweat was dripping from his face and his hair became disheveled. “ _Why_ ,” Dipper smashed again with a more force. “ _Aren't_ ,” his knuckles turned white as the hammer made an impact on Will’s skin. “ _You_ ,” Dipper put in more power as he lost his temper. He was sure Will's limbs were swelling and would have been permanently damaged beyond repair if he had been mortal. “ _Crying?_ ” Dipper flung the hammer to the corner of the room, ignoring the sound of breaking glass and metals colliding. He crawled on top of the Will, pulled him up by the shirt before slamming him against the metal.

Will panted, out of breath and eyes unfocused. He was a bit twitchy but Dipper didn't care. Instead, he punched Will in the face. He was grateful to his Grunkle Stan that the old man taught him how to throw a punch, even if it seemed rather useless at that time. The boy under him actually chuckled in delight, blood trickling down from his nose.

“Wha-“ Dipper sat back on the demon’s chest in surprise.

“That tickled,” Will let a giggle escape his lips, which annoyed the psychic even more than his weeping and begging. So he harshly grabbed Will’s blue hair and pulled his head up. “What the hell was that, Cipher?”

Will sobered and swallowed, “This… isn’t going to end well. L-let’s just end this game before I….”

Dipper glared at him until the other cowered visibly before dropping his grip completely. “You’re hiding something. I know it.” Will squeaked at the accusation. Scowling, Dipper leaned down on his elbows, arms at either side of Will’s head to remind Will who was in control. “Tell me or I’ll find out myself and rip your throat open,” he whispered maliciously, an edge in his voice. He didn't mean it suggestively, yet Will blushed like crazy. Blinking in bewilderment, Dipper’s ears reddened in slight embarrassment. If Mabel were there, she would have howled with laughter at how awkward her twin made the situation.

Dipper’s insides were churning because of his awkwardness. It seems that he hasn't completely outgrown it yet. So he did the only thing that popped in his lagging brain: he punched the demon again. As expected, the demon snickered at the sensation again. “S-stop it, please! N-no more! I can’t lose control over-“ Desperately, he tried to restrain himself.

“Over what?” Dipper demanded. “Tell me!” He clawed the demon’s throat, leaving angry red lines.

“Please,” his eyes were watering. Whether it was from pleading or giggling, Dipper did not know. He just knew it annoyed him. The psychic slapped him, Will’s head turned right. The slap echoed in the lab then the world was still and silent for a moment. A chill ran up Dipper's spine and his instincts were screaming at him that something was wrong.

Will broke. He broke down laughing.

To say it was unnerving was a huge understatement. It was unlike anything he expected from Will Cipher, the weak dream demon he and his twin summoned and tricked. This laughter was unhinged and twisted as it filled up the empty room. The eerie sound made his skin crawl and his throat tightened with unquestionable fear, an emotion Dipper taught himself to suppress over the years.

Dipper was stunned and unmoving from his place on top of Bill. It hadn't even occurred to him to get off.

“Why so silent, Pine Tree?” Will cooed in a sickeningly sweet voice. The dream demon's eyes started glowing yellow. He had a cocky smirk plastered on his bloody face and actually looked Dipper in the eye. Dipper stared stupidly at the demon, wondering what exactly caused the sudden change in behavior and-

“Like what you see, kid?” The demon flirtatiously licked the blood from his lips. He laughed as Dipper’s face flushed. “Got the best seat in the house, huh?” Dipper snapped out of it, realizing he was still on top of the dream demon. As quickly as he can, he hopped off the table and landed on his feet while willing himself to stop blushing. “Aww, why’d you leave? The show is about to begin!” Will stretched his (supposedly disfigured) limbs before relaxing to a more comfortable position on the metal table.

"What-"

"The name's Bill Cipher, kid! I'd shake your hand but I'm a little tied up here." Bill smirked at him and let out a low whistle. "So this is your dimension, huh? I've seen other alternative universes, kid, but none like this! But the Cipher in your dimension is so boring and gullible that it's embarrassing-"

Dipper’s eyebrows creased, deciphering the demon's (apparently from another reality) words. He crossed his arms over his chest and held his chin high to show dominance over his toy. “You’re in my lab and you’re my toy. So you listen to me-”

Bill shook his head slowly, “Tsk, tsk, Shooting Star wouldn't appreciate that comment. Pine Tree, you’re getting too attached to me.” Dipper was in between being intrigued and frightened by the demon's knowing smirk.

The brunet scoffed.

“Oh, yeah,” Bill chuckled darkly, blood still smeared on his face. “You and Shooting Star have that Tent of Telepathy or whatever, right? And what do they call you? Li’l Dipper? Do you have a song you sing about _widdle ol you_?” The demon roared with laughter at his own joke, his eyes glowing with more intensity as he laughed. Dipper did not share his mirth. Instead, he threw Bill a dark look that usually shut up all of his misbehaving toys. “You’re cute, Pine Tree, but that look isn't going to work on me.”

“I'm not a pine tree and I’m definitely not cute!” Dipper’s ears were red from anger and self-consciousness; his insecurities were bubbling inside him. His guts twisted unpleasantly, yet he stared the demon down. “And we’re not some stupid kid’s show. We do dangerous magic tricks using real magic. We’ve sold out international shows. Our merchandise is shipped world-fucking-wide! We’ve performed for the queen of England, _damn it_!” He pounded his fist on the metal table, stubbornly ignoring the pain. Absolutely no one was allowed to mock his achievements even mentally and emotionally unstable dream demons.

“Yeesh, kid, relax. I get it. You’re hot shit.”

Dipper exhaled, leaning his back against the surgical table and calmed himself. He shut his eyes and counted 1 to 10. Unlike Mabel, he usually prided himself on his self-discipline rather to blindly follow every whim and feeling. He could feel new Bill’s eyes scrutinizing him, possibly searching for more things to pick on.

“Pine Tree,” the blue-haired dream demon whined.

“Shut up,” Dipper went to the small table, picking up a pen and scribbled on a notebook. He hastily jotted down all the events of the experiment and his personal observations, leaving out that awkward moment on the surgical table, which he never wanted to remember ever again.

"You're such a joy to be with," Bill commented sarcastically. "How about we have a little deal-"

"No," Dipper cut him off. Forming a deal with Bill Cipher was going to be a bit more complicated because this one may be all jokes and grandeur, but there was something... unpredictable and chaotic about him. Dipper's senses were warning him not to underestimate Bill; He would need to observe more in order to devise a full-proof scheme.

Suddenly, Bill started violently struggling against the restraints like a caged animal. Flames erupted from his hands, although the straps remained intact. Acting quickly, Dipper dropped the notebook and pen in exchange for a long knife. He moved to Bill and positioned it to his throat.

“You…” Bill panted, pulling at the restraints. The glow in his eyes dimmed a bit but his grin widened. “You can’t hurt me.”

“I can rip your vocal chords out.” Dipper emphasized his point by pressing the sharp edge more forcefully.

"Ha! I'm a being of pure energy with no weaknesses!" He whipped his head to meet Dipper's eyes. Dipper was sure he would be seeing that face in his nightmares for at least a week. The yellow glow flickered in his eyes, like a light bulb losing energy. "I know lots of things, kid."

Dipper snarled, "If you're so damn smart, tell me how-"

With a wink, the demon purred, "A magician never reveals his secrets... Not for free."

The yellow glow faded completely before he closed his eyes. His whole body relaxed. When he did open his eyes, they were the normal blue color. Tensing up at the feel of a knife on his neck, Will stuttered, “I-I-… I’m so sorry. I... couldn't shake off the mental link and-”

Of course the first thing he says is an apology.

Dipper rolled his eyes, retracting the blade from Will's neck. “It seems that you’re going to be much more useful than I thought, Cipher.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr: http://danini-dip.tumblr.com/ (We can be internet friends omg)


	2. Definition of Terms

It was dinner time and Dipper was well aware of his tardiness. He was certain Mabel was impatiently waiting for dinner to start, or more precisely, _for dessert_. Mabel established the rule that she and Dipper always had to eat meals together because of Dipper's nasty habit of skipping meals and choosing to engross himself in the Journal. He had not taken her rule seriously until she threatened to throw the Journal into the fireplace.

Both doors to the dining hall flew open. Like the rest of the Gleeful Manor, the dining hall was capacious and expensively furnished. Mabel had recently redecorated the Manor to her liking; she hanged intricate paintings and displayed glass decors. To say that the Manor looked amazing after Mabel's remodeling was an understatement. Admittedly, it was troublesome when she was meticulous about small artistic details that were insignificant to Dipper, who did not care what color the sofa should be or which pattern would look better on the curtains. Nonetheless, he was very supportive and proud of his twin's achievements.

Dipper arrived at last with an iron grip on the back of Will's shirt as he practically dragged the whimpering demon along. He held the blood-stained butcher's knife in his other hand.

It seems that dinner had already been laid out on the table, but neither Mabel nor Grunkle Stan touched their meals. The brunette sat in her usual seat, idly twirling a fork in her fingers, while Grunkle Stan sat opposite to her. Ever since they –the twins and their team- have returned from their nation-wide tour, Grunkle Stan had been making arrangements for their Gravity Falls shows, which will span throughout the summer. Nowadays, Grunkle Stan has been bringing that little notebook of numbers and notes around, often computing and such.

Mabel didn’t even flinch when Dipper stabbed the knife on the table.

“Hey, hey! Kid, that is mahogany!” Looking up from his scrawled writing, Grunkle Stan chided his grandnephew.

Dipper ignored him and glared at Mabel instead. His voice was cold, "Sister, I thought I made it clear that I do not want you touching my things without permission."

In response, Mabel leaned back casually. “I’ll leave a note next time, brother of mine.”

“Sister dear," The corner of Dipper's lips twitched in annoyance. "I swear-“

“Dipdop, spare me your empty threats.” Mabel beamed at the fuming teenager and poked his cheek playfully. The brunet wrinkled his nose and grunted, yet his grimace softened a bit. It was near to impossible for him to stay angry at his twin. 

“Dipper, you look like hell.” Grunkle Stan stated the obvious with concern laced in his voice. Dipper's hair was out of its usual styled state, falling to his eyes a bit. Some of Will's blood tainted the cyan shirt he wore. The fact that he hadn't had a full night's sleep in a while didn't help either. All of the sudden, Grunkle Stan yelled at the dream demon, who was staring at his feet. “Cipher! Go to the kitchen and get the boy something to drink!”

The confused look on Will’s face was so hilarious that Mabel snorted. She fixed her stare to the dream demon and Will shrunk under her gaze. Up close, one would notice that his shirt was buttoned up wrongly and dried blood was still smeared on his face. Overall, he looked perfectly healthy in his scrawny human form despite the usual nervous disposition. “I... What?”

“Kitchen. Drink. Now.” Grunkle Stan glared. The jewel on Mabel’s headband glowed and she waved her hand. Cyan energy encased Will's hands and pulled him forward rashly, causing the demon to almost land flat on his face. “Don’t just stand there like a moron! Now, Cipher!” Mabel mimicked her Grunkle’s bossy tone. Will scurried outside the dining hall without another moment of hesitation.

Seeing Will being ordered around did bring a tiny smirk to Dipper’s face

“Do you think he knows where the kitchen is? I mean, it _is_ his first day. And he didn't even ask what kind of drink.” Mable wondered out loud, eyes still on the doors. "But it'll fun to punish him when he screws up."

Grunkle Stan shrugged, “I honestly don’t give a fuck. But now that the idiot is gone…” He turned to Dipper. Before he could say any more, his phone blared in his breast pocket. He quickly checked the caller on the phone screen. Giving the brunet a woeful look, he said, "I gotta take this, urgent business and whatever. I’ve got to finalize a few things for this season’s first show on Saturday."

"Bleed our business partners dry." Dipper said smugly. To which Mabel added, "And tell them to get a bigger stage with brighter lights!" Both twins were used Grunkle Stan's busy schedule and the sudden business calls in between.

Stan grinned, "You know it, kids.” He got up and headed out the door, ruffling Mabel’s hair and patting Dipper’s back as he passed by them on his way out.

“So, bro-bro… How was it?”

Dipper made a noncommittal sound and took his seat next to Mabel. Without another word, he began eating. His stomach was rumbling and his mouth watered at the sight of Soos’s cooking. The Gleeful Manor cook had resigned after an incident with Mabel’s collection of mutilated fingers inside the freezer. He was the second that month to leave... after the butler who broke down after one of Mabel's tantrums. Since the Gleefuls were short on staff, Soos stepped in and helped around as often as he could.

In a worn-out and irritated voice, Dipper recalled all the transpired events. He deliberately left out embarrassing details that Mabel did not need to know, but he was sure his face was tinted pink at some point. Mabel caught his eye, silently giving him a look that promised an interrogation later on. He tried to ignore it and continued on, throwing in observations along with the little information her gathered from Bill Cipher.

She held her hand up, “Okay, pause.” Dipper’s words died at his lips, ready to answer incoming questions. “There’s a Bill inside Will?”

“An asshole version of him from another dimension,” Dipper clarified. “I think they’re mentally connected.”

Mabel gasped and mock whispered, “Cipher-ception!”

Dipper struggled to keep a stoic face when Mabel burst into carefree laughter. It was unlike the predatory chuckles she emitted when she tormented her victims or the lascivious giggles she teased men with. It was the wholehearted laugh that never failed to ease Dipper's nerves and anxieties. He already felt his impassive facade slipping into a small amused smile.

"You've been drinking too much Mabel Juice." Dipper raised an eyebrow at his twin. Mabel Juice was an energy drink Mabel had been making since they were children, complete with inedible objects like fake eyeballs and plastic spiders. Dipper didn't exactly know what was in the strange dark liquid nor did he ever want to.

“Dipdop, that isn’t the point.” Mabel rolled her eyes. Then, she sighed deeply as her tone switched to a more serious one. “I know what you’re thinking. You’re going to try to summon that asshole.”

It was difficult to lie to someone who knew everything about him. “I think he may be useful-"

“Dip, we can’t trust Asshole Cipher, and we already have a demon in our hands. I mean, they’re the same being with the same abilities. Plus, Will is such a pushover. Manipulating him would be a walk in the park now that we made a deal. Give him a chance, bro-bro.” Leaning back against the chair, Mabel gave Dipper a confident smile.

Her smile faltered when Dipper did not return her enthusiasm. She reached out and placed a hand on Dipper's shoulder in an almost older-sibling kind of way. “Just promise me you won’t do something stupid and rash.” The brunette frowned at Dipper, who had a knack of searching for trouble. There was something pulling him towards the demon. Still, the look on his only sister’s face was enough to stifle Dipper’s curiosity. For the moment.

“I promise.”

Mabel's smile returned as she placed her hand back down. Will meekly slipped through the door as he entered the room. The demon’s face flushed as they scrutinized him and hurried to Dipper’s side. He gingerly laid the teacup on the table and took a few steps back. The psychic raised an eyebrow, “This is tea. I don’t drink tea.” Dipper was more of a black coffee guy; he had grown accustomed to the bitter taste.

Bill's eyes were wide as saucers as he realized his error. “I-I… I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.” Dipper stood up and held the teacup firmly in one hand. Admittedly, the warm cup gave off a pleasant fragrance. With one swift movement, he threw the contents at the demon’s face. Will shut his eyes but didn’t seem to be affected by the heat of the liquid, although he did twitch. “It’s pathetic that a demon could be such a screw-up.”

Behind him, Mabel snickered in malicious delight. A triumphant smirk spread wide on Dipper’s face as Will blinked rapidly in a manner that suggested he was holding back tears. Again, Dipper found himself glaring at those blue eyes. He enjoyed how mesmerizing they looked when wide and terrified. The demon looked more vulnerable with blue locks framed on his flushed face and gnawing on his bottom lip.

“On to our business,” Mabel chirped brightly and switched the topic. She pushed her chair back and joined to stand beside her brother. Her disposition shifted to something more deadly. Crossing her arms, she smirked at the demon. "First thing's first, you will address us as Mistress and Master."

"Yes, Mistress." The demon learned quickly; that was good.

"Another thing," Mabel strutted to Will and tugged on sleeve of his ruined button up shirt. "You're a Gleeful servant now, so you're expected to look and act like one. I could fix your attire, but you need to wipe that pitiful look off your face when we're in public. Remember our deal: your servitude in exchange for sacrifices. So don't disappoint us."

"Yes, Mistress," Will swallowed. 

"Speaking of the public," Dipper began and caught Mabel's eye. "Gravity Falls is undoubtedly expecting for a more exciting show this weekend. I think it's time up our game, sister dear." His gaze turned to Will, who visibly tried to keep himself together. "The amulets give us telekinesis and we can easily charm the crowds, but I cannot help but wonder... What can a dream demon's powers add to the mix? Perhaps... more advance telepathic abilities?" In their previous shows, they did small tricks like mind-reading and even predictions, but those were easy to bluff and became dull after some time.

"That's a great idea, brother!" She exclaimed, stars in her eyes. "I'm thinking of those acts where magicians hypnotize audience members to do stupid things on stage."

"Well, Cipher," Dipper tilted his head to the side. "Can you do it or not?" It was also a test to see how loyal Will really was to the deal and to the Gleeful twins. It definitely won't be the last time the twins would push the demon to his limits.

There was a determined look on Will's face as he nodded at them. The demon's eyes glowed blue and so did Dipper's vision for a second. It was an odd feeling; it was as if his mind was expanding inwardly. The demon’s magic mingled with the amulet’s, combining to form one force of energy. 

He could already feel Mabel prodding at their new mental link, kind of like having his head being poked by a stick. “Mabel!” Dipper complained. One more time, she poked him mentally. He rolled his eyes at her childishness.

There was another mental tie that was at the back of his mind, as light as a feather but still evident. Dipper couldn’t hypothesize how exactly he knew, but it was indistinguishably Will.

"Now.... _Dessert_!" 

 

* * *

 

 He was surrounded by darkness and deafening silence filled his ears. Dipper was overwhelmed by how little there was in his surroundings and how the void made him feel smaller. It was neither warm nor freezing, yet he shivered. At the back of his mind, he was almost sure he was in a nightmare.

His suspicions were proven true when laughter started echoing. It was the same unhinged and obnoxious guffaw that Dipper loathed and secretly feared. The sound bounced off and it made his ears pound; he was sure they were going to bleed any time soon. The silence was preferable Bill’s laughter.

“This is just a dream.” His voice was barely a whisper above the irritating sound. He clasped his hands on his ears in desperation. "This isn't real."

“Oh, it's real alright.” That voice seemed to come from different points. He was not certain anymore; He just wanted it to stop. “Look at you, so adorable when you’re weak and helpless.”

The demon was mocking him even in his dreams. _What a jackass_.

“It’s so sweet how highly you think of me,” Bill cooed. A yellow glow in the shape of an eye flickered before Dipper. “I could just... tear you apart right now.”

The brunet's voice lacked its usual self-assured tone. "Leave me alone." His blood ran cold. He took a few steps back unconsciously. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he was impressed by the way the demon effortlessly struck fear and how entertaining it would have been if directed to someone other than Dipper. 

"Not so arrogant now, huh, Pine Tree?" Warm breath tickled Dipper's neck in a very unpleasant manner, which caused the psychic to jump in reflex. The yellow eye squinted as that creepy laughter rang. A blinding flash overwhelmed Dipper's vision before a triangle materialized from the darkness. A triangle with a black top hat, a bow tie, and a single eye floated in front of him.

"You're too fun, Pine Tree! I'll throw you a bone." Bill looped an arm around the boy’s thin shoulders, thus forcing Dipper to walk through the darkness beside him. The latter attempted and failed to wiggle out of the surprisingly firm grasp. "Say, kid, did Will tell you already?" The yellow menace interpreted Dipper's puzzled face as an apparent 'no'. "Look, Pine Tree, you're special... and I'm not just saying that to make ya feel all warm inside. You've got untapped potential."

Dipper frowned at Bill's cryptic words. "What... What are you talking about?"

“Well, Shooting Star is pretty special too. However, you’ve got this.“ He reached out to touch Dipper’s forehead. The boy found himself frozen in place as the small hands grazed his birthmark. The constellation illuminated like the actual Big Dipper but in a reddish color. The glow faded when Bill retracted his hand. “And that makes you a tiny bit more special. Don’t get too cocky though; you’re head’s big enough as it is.”

Maybe Dipper was just that predictable, but the demon replied before he can speak. "Sorry, Pine Tree, but I'm not throwing away any more freebies." The demon snapped his fingers and a cane appeared in his hands. "Best ask Will about it," He twirled the cane nonchalantly.

Now, they were beating around the bush. Cipher was baiting him with snippets and leaving him hanging. It was frustrating and bothersome to deal with on top of the incessant insults and jibes. The psychic managed to gain some of his courage back, "Why-"

He was interrupted by chortles. "You're not in the position to start demanding things, kid."

"Perhaps the omniscient dream demon himself doesn’t know." Dipper muttered.

The eye flashed red for a brief second and his voice turned threatening. "Be careful, Pine Tree. You're playing with some very dangerous things here.” Suddenly, he was his usual upbeat self again before Dipper can fully comprehend Bill's vague messages. "Well, kid, I'd love to stay and chat but I have business to take care of."

Without so much of a warning, the triangle hit Dipper on the head with his cane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr: danini-dip.tumblr.com


	3. Research

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> been very busy lately sorry :(

Getting reeled back to reality was an unpleasant feeling, similar to the sensation of falling asleep slowly only to be woken up by a sudden movement. Dipper sat up on the sofa abruptly, causing his head to swirl. The windowpane displayed a starry sky peppered with clouds. He had no idea what time it was.

His meeting with Bill was still fresh in his mind. The yellow demon was a potential threat to his plans, perhaps even a distraction. He needed the answers Bill would not provide. Morosely, he plucked up the Journal from the soft carpet ground and headed for the Gleeful Manor library. 

Dipper was at his usual spot in the deepest, most secluded part of the room. Although he was typically the only person occupying the enormous maze of a library, he liked the feeling of being enclosed by knowledge. There was a variety of scrolls, book, maps, and such from different parts of the world and numerous time periods. Most were stolen from museums or acquired by way of sketchy connections throughout the generations of Gleefuls. Despite the size of the collection, there were very limited resources for supernatural matters and most of them were just general overviews with minimal details. Journal 1 was not in the library though, Dipper checked at least five times. He knew where everything was; the library was practically his bedroom.

The amulet around his neck was cyan as he used his telekinetic abilities to retrieved books from areas he could not reach. As Dipper lazily flicked his hand, thick tomes and dusty scrolls levitated down and settled on the wooden desk. He made himself at home on his office chair. He began his research with the Big Dipper asterism and branched out from there, going on to the myths and the actual Ursa Major constellation. With barely any new information, he switched to the scientific concept of alternate dimensions. Still, he could not find anything concrete or substantial. By this time, his nerves were grated and his teeth was clenched. It seems that the Gleeful library was not very helpful in this case.

“Master?” A small voice squeaked from behind him.

“Fuck!” Dipper was shocked at the presence of another being. His heart raced in his ribs before calming down to a steady rate. He turned away from the papers scattered on the desk and glared at his servant. Thank God, Dipper didn’t play BABBA songs like he usually did when he was alone in the library. “How long have you been standing there?”

When Dipper’s vision adjusted, he noticed Will’s neck and ears were red. At least he was better dressed than the night before. Because of Mabel’s fashion taste, Will was in a crisp white button down, turquoise vest and a black pair of slacks. Mabel even threw in a black bow tie. “Um, your frustration alerted me and I wasn’t sure if you…“ His sentence died down awkwardly because of Dipper’s silence.

So the demon could pick up strong emotions. Dipper should definitely write that down on his notebook for research purposes. It occurred to him that this was an opportunity to interrogate Will on everything he knew. Dipper doubted that Will was secretive or mysterious like Bill.

The Gleeful stood from his office chair and traversed until he was right in front of Will. His passive face turned sour when he realized he was shorter than the demon’s human form by a few inches. The demon did not shrink or flinch at the proximity.

“I have a few questions for you, Cipher.” Dipper’s voice was husky as he sneered at the dream demon. He needed to assert his power over his servant. Up close, he could see the demon was holding his breath. Did he even need air? Dipper would have to test that another time.

“Y-yes, Master?” Brows furrowed slightly, Will licked his lips. His adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.

Questions raced through Dipper’s head. _Bill Cipher, his Big Dipper birthmark, the Journals, the Author._   They all flooded Dipper’s brain. There were so many questions he wanted answered that he didn’t know where to start. _Ask about the Journals first! They are the key to own this town…but Bill Cipher did impose himself as a potential threat, and threats should be eradicated first. However, he has been obsessing over the Author. Yet…his birthmark may become an advantage in his plans._

“I-I… T-the Journals, no, Bill… W-wait,” He spluttered as his thoughts clogged. He wanted to yell at himself in frustration. He hasn’t been so tongue-tied since he was a little kid. On top of that, he ruined the forbidding atmosphere, and his neck was growing warm.

Will stared at him with wonder and bemusement. His lips were slightly parted as he took in the sight of his stuttering master. Slowly, his mouth morphed into a small smile.

“Don’t fucking laugh at me.” Dipper growled but it came out in a much higher octave than desired.

The dream demon shook his head. “I’m not laughing at you, Master.” The sincerity in his voice struck Dipper. Can demons be sincere? Then again, Will was not like other demons in general. Dipper blushed involuntarily anyway.

“The journals,” Dipper cleared his throat, bringing the topic back. Embarrassing himself in front of his servant and ungracefully fighting the feelings of shame was becoming a bad habit for Dipper. Curse his poor social skills. “What do you know of the journals?”

Thankfully, the dream demon went along with it. “There are three of them…but I can’t sense them. They’re demon-protected.”

Dipper cursed under his breath; he was at a dead end with his search. The search for Journal 1 was the sole reason he has been negligent of his own basic needs like six hours of sleep and a proper diet. Now, there was another one to obtain. On the up side, whoever wrote the Journals wasn’t some local idiot. “Who wrote the Journals?”

“I-I…can’t say.” Will averted his eyes from Dipper’s intense brown ones. Dipper invaded his space, leaning closer to the demon. “What do you mean you _can’t_ tell me who the Author is? Cipher, I will cut you if you don’t tell me this instant.”

The demon shivered at his threat before Dipper recalled that threats didn’t instill fear in the demon, In fact, pain was apparently hilarious and triggering for Will. The last thing Dipper needed right now was the yellow annoyance. “If I told you, I would be breaching another deal.”

“Whom did you make the deal with?” He grabbed Will by the collar of his shirt. At the back of his head, he could identify the smell of the woods. Dipper was becoming desperate as options were slowly getting crossed out.

The demon shook his head. Whoever it was knew what they were doing, all right. They were too good. “What about Bill Cipher and your mental link to him? I don’t want that pest ruining my plans.”

The blue-haired demon had a habit of chewing on his lips, Dipper noticed. “I’m sorry, Master. That…w-was a moment of weakness.”

Dipper released the demon harshly and practically pushed him away. “What about my birthmark? Bill said it was important.”

Tilting his head to the side, the demon had a strange wistful look in his eyes. It was as the universe was whispering secrets into his ear. “It means that you and I are destined. We have a unique connection.”

Perhaps that was why Bill was able to visit Dipper’s dreams. But did that mean that the different versions of him also bore the same birthmark and were bound to the Cipher from their respective universes? So many new questions stemmed from the revelation; the train of mysteries would never cease.

Despite that, Dipper looked away from the demon’s eyes as he was slightly stunned by Will’s straightforwardness. “Destined? Wha… What are you saying? Are we betrothed?” Dipper’s trail of thought was leaning towards panic now.

However, the demon didn’t seem a bit upset by the brunet’s sudden trepidation. If Dipper were in a more calm state, he would have noticed a ghost of a smirk on Will’s lips. “No, Master, marriage is a human concept. Honestly, I don’t know much details of our bond.”

Dipper crossed his arms and squinted. “Bill said you were all-knowing.”

“Knowing lots of things isn’t the same as being omniscient. The past is solid, but the future is filled with countless possibilities. B-Bill…likes to dramatize and exaggerate a bit, Master.” Dipper knew he should be jotting down notes. It was all so fascinating to learn about demons when the library and the Internet offered so little and mostly inaccurate information.

The doors were thrown open at the arrival of another person. Being the morning person she was, Mabel sauntered into the room with Waddles in her arms energetically. She was still dressed in her silk turquoise pyjamas and fluffy bedroom slippers. “Dip-dop, can you make breakfast today? Soos can’t come this morning to cook.”

Right, they were short on staff. “I’m busy.” He gestured to the table still messy with useless information. “Make Will or Grunkle Stan do it. Go to town and eat at the local diner. For God’s sake, you have telekinesis.”

“But Dipper!” Mabel pouted, cuddling the equally upset pig in her arms. “Greasy’s Diner is infested with racoons and loathsome commoners. Grunkle Stan left for a meeting with McGucket, and Will doesn’t know how to make pancakes like you do.” Dipper internally groaned. One day, he will regret spoiling his twin, but at the same time he can’t say no to her puppy-dog eyes. The brunette didn’t even need vocal affirmation; she beamed at the surrender written on her twin’s face.

“After,” Dipper started uttering his condition. “I figure out how to locate the other two Journals.”

His twin groaned and slumped down on his chair. Her fingers absently brushed through pages of discoloured papers and diagrams. “But bro-bro…that will take forever! Waddles and I are starving!” She promptly put Waddles down when the pig attempted to chew on a yellow-paged book. Said pig toddled towards Will and began chewing on the demon’s pants leg.

“Well, if we’re going to rule this town and all its supernatural inhabitants, we’re going to need the Journals.” Dipper countered. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of Will struggling to gently nudge the pig away.

“Have you checked this section of the Journal? It has a bunch of different spells you could use.” Mabel droned as she flipped a page of the Journal. “Oh, look, a way to summon a head that’s always screaming, sounds like fun,” she perked up a bit at the graphic sketch of an agonized head on the page.

Dipper tore his gaze from Will and Waddles. “What are you talking about? There are no spells like that in the Journal.” He strode to the desk next to Mabel. One hand on the desk and another at the back of the chair, Dipper cocked his head to see what his twin was rambling about. On the pages were the same random markings Dipper couldn’t decipher. “Hold on…You can _read_ it? All this time, and you can actually understand what’s written on it?” Dipper exclaimed as he was equally irritated and victorious.

The brunette’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “Oh shit, I can read it! That’s so cool! Heh, I can _read_ something you can’t. You know what that means? I’m becoming the Alpha twin!”

_Shooting Star is pretty special too._

Mabel followed Dipper’s gaze to Will, who was still preoccupied by Waddle’s stubborn gnawing on his pants leg. Could it be that the deal triggered something here? Dipper would need to investigate further. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr: danini-dip


	4. Field Test (Part 1)

Dipper was a bit envious of Mabel’s new-found abilities but tried to share in her excitement. Yeah, it was good to finally have a bit of progress in unlocking the mysteries of the Journals, but it wasn’t _fair_. His twin had become Journal-literate overnight when it was Dipper who had been studying the book for months. Sure, Mabel tried to teach Dipper how to read the passages of the Journal, but it did not come as naturally to him, which left him twice as irked. He did not voice out his irritation, yet he was sure a sliver of vexation resonated through their mind link. It was difficult to genuinely smile when his mouth tasted like bitterness.

“This one!” She shoved the open book to his face. They were alone in the library today since Will was running errands for Grunkle Stan. Sometimes, Dipper consulted the demon on supernatural matters, but he kept the Journal out of the demon's reach. Since Will was most likely involved with the Author in the past, who says he isn't interested in destroying or stealing the Journal from Dipper? “We could use this for our show! Let’s do this one on Saturday. It’s gonna be amazing!”

Pushing the Journal away from his face, Dipper grimaced. “I can’t read it, Mabel.” His twin’s brown eyes widened with faux innocence. “Oh right, I forgot about that.”

“Alpha twin”, Mabel smirked as she nudged Dipper in the ribs.

“Don’t do that!” Dipper slapped her arm grumpily. Then, he curiously peered over to the page she stumbled on. “What is it?”

She pointed to a picture of what looked like a medieval wooden casket with spikes inside. The next diagram shows a person with shackles around his feet being brutally pushed inside. The last one had an excessive amount of what Dipper assumed was blood. Whatever this thing was, it looked like a torture device. 

“Do you think Soos can build a contraption like that in time for Saturday?” Mabel’s Cheshire grin matched the devious glimmer in her eyes.

Dipper rolled his eyes. "We are  _not_ going to torture people with witnesses around  who could testify against us in court."

His twin laughed as if she heard the funniest joke ever. "No, silly! We can change a few things and add a few runes... and bam! A magic act!" Wiggling her eyebrows, she nudged his ribs again. "You know, we need a volunteer who can heal themselves pretty quickly for this to work... Do you know someone like that, preferably with blue hair and demon magic?" She began to widen her eyes in way that was half crazed and half knowing.

"Don't make that face at me ever again." Dipper said dryly as he averted his eyes.  

 

* * *

 

“Dipdop, I can sense your anxiety a mile away even without a mental link.” Mabel was in full costume: a cyan button up, a cyan tailcoat, black tights, and black stiletto heels. Her lips were a striking shade of red. It added to the enticing seductress persona she put on. The amulet on her hairband glistened in the light.

Alternatively, Dipper wore an identical button-up, dark trousers, shiny dress shoes, and a light blue cape. He nervously tugged on his bolo tie. “We haven’t really practiced the whole routine continuously. I’m just worried-“

“Stop worrying, brother of mine.” She countered his negative thinking with optimism. “We have a professional team, real magic, and a dream demon. We’ll be fine! Now, stop frowning or you’ll get wrinkles and become grey like Grunkle Stan.”

“I resent that.” Grunkle Stan commented as he approached the twins. The old man was dressed sharply in a suit that matched their Gleeful color scheme instead of his casual floral shirt. “Break a leg out there, kids. Well, not literally unless you can fix it onstage as a magic trick or whatever. I don’t want the law breathing down our necks.” The Gleeful twins were well aware that their Grunkle had shady hobbies and relations. Neither of them were concerned because their Grunkle avoided any questions about it anyway. 

“It’s the first show of the season, but no pressure,” Grunkle Stan assured them. A proud grin was plastered on his face as he encouraged the twins. “These chumps all came to see you both so knock ‘em dead. Now, off with you two.” He ordered them to opposite sides of the stage.

 _It’ll be fine_. Mabel whispered in Dipper's head.

The lights went off. The crowd shrieked with excitement as music began playing. The Tent of Telepathy was jam-packed with locals and tourists who all flocked to see the pride of Gravity Falls. Soos gave _go_ signal, and the spotlights lit up the stage one by one beginning from the center to opposite sides until both twins were under the heat of the limelight. The audience screamed even louder, drowning out the background music.

“Good evening, Gravity Falls!” Mabel exclaimed over the warm welcome of the crowd. Her hand gestures were dramatic as she soaked in the adoration of the audience. “I’m Mabel. This is Dipper. And we’re the Gleeful Twins!”

“It’s so good to be back at home after many months on tour.” Dipper tried to match his sister’s energy level. “We have a spectacular show for you tonight!”

They started off their show with the basic crowd favorites, beginning with the simple ones until the tricks became more and more intricate. The Gleeful twins have done those same illusions countless of times, yet the fan base never got sick of it. They ate it all up without questioning the power of the twins.

“Wait, wait,” Mabel interrupted as Dipper, who was blindfolded, was about to throw a dagger to the apple above her head. The crowd released a collective sigh of relief when Dipper returned his dagger in his sheaf. It was almost funny how they forgot that magic shows were illusions. “Brother, our tricks are getting a bit dull, don’t you think?”

“I think we should spice it up, sister dear. Maybe an audience member would be interested in partaking in our next act?” All of the sudden, hands shot up as people eagerly volunteered. Dipper searched the crowd for someone who didn’t look as gullible and wishy-washy as everyone else. There, sitting at the corner with arms crossed, was a chubby boy wore a cap with a Pine Tree symbol on it.

_Pine Tree! Mabel, that’s a Pine Tree symbol! He may have one of the Journals!_

_Pine Tree like the one the crazy demon from another dimension was talking about?_

_Yes! That’s it! There at the farthest left corner of the Tent, next to the girl dressed like a neon stoplight_

“Hey! You at the back!” Mabel called out, waving her arms. “The boy with the cap!” The kid in question was completely taken aback by the glare of the spotlight suddenly on him. Ecstatic for her companion, the blonde next to him pushed him off his seat and to the front.

The short boy was a few years younger than the twins with freckles sprinkled on his round cheeks. He tugged his cap lower self-consciously to hide his thick white hair. Gravity Falls was a relatively small town, yet Dipper could not recall ever seeing the boy. “What’s your name?” He put on a friendly smile as he helped the kid up the stage.

Facing the audience, the kid waved at the crowd. His smile was naturally charming and he seemed completely at ease being on stage. Dipper felt a twinge of envy at the kid’s stage confidence. “I’m Gideon Pines. I’m visiting for the summer.” He spoke with a trace of a southern drawl.

“So what do you think of Gravity Falls so far?” Polite conversation was mandatory to gain the volunteer’s trust and eventual submission. “Oh, it’s such a gift to be in this beautiful town!” His cherubic grin made the audience collectively exclaim, “aww!”

Dipper felt himself growing weary of the kid already.

“That’s adorable!” His twin apparently thought differently of the boy. “Gideon, do you believe in magic?” Mabel asked him sweetly. The latter shrugged his shoulders ambiguously. “Well, we can change that! Close your eyes, and relax. When Dipper snaps his fingers, you will be under our spell.”

Fortunately, Gideon was an obedient volunteer. Both the twin’s amulets started to glow cyan. Dipper snapped his fingers and the Pines boy’s eyes had an empty look in them. Mabel placed a finger on her chin and pretended to be deep in thought. “Hmm, what can we make you do? Ah, I know!” She leaned in close to the boy’s ear. “Now, Gideon, you’re a grumpy cat.”

Instantly, Gideon dropped to all fours and started hissing at the crowd. The members of the audience began to laugh, which just made cat-Gideon saltier. Mabel stepped off the stage for a second to retrieve an item. “Here, kitty, kitty,” She rolled a ball of yarn across the stage. Eyes wide with joy, the cat-kid chased the ball of yarn.  There were squeals of delight when Gideon started playing with the string.

“Dance for us,” Dipper commanded. An upbeat tune played through the speakers. Without a moment of hesitation, Gideon stood on two legs and started doing a little dance. He tapped his feet, jumped around, shook his hips, and waved his arms. The brunet could not help but join the audience in laughter. This kid who could possibly possess one of the other Journals was under their spell. Taking the Journal would be like taking candy from a baby.

Dipper snapped his fingers hence Gideon came back to his senses. By this point, fatigue was starting to creep up on him. Magic cost energy, even if it was from the amulet or the powers of a demon. In contrast, Mabel was still high on adrenaline and Mabel Juice.

The psychic spoke in a low voice so the audience could not hear. “We would love to see you backstage after the show. You seem interesting, Gideon.”

“And bring your blonde companion along.” Mabel urged. It seems like Mabel had a new crush of the week. 

Gideon Pines had an unreadable expression on his face but nodded anyway. The smile on his face looked feigned to Dipper, but that didn’t matter. What was important is that the twins get the Journal. Mabel and Dipper raised both of Gideon’s hands and the three bowed. Gideon hopped off the stage.

Once the spectators settled down, Dipper announced. “We have a special surprise for you tonight!”

“Drum-roll please,” Mabel gestured to Soos who pressed a button on the elaborate audio system. There was a grand display of blue and yellow lights as the drum-roll increased in volume and speed. Members of the audience were at the edge of their seats. “Introducing our new assistant… Will!”

The demon appeared upstage with a puff of smoke. Will looked under the weather with his pale complexion and his cheeks were flushed. Even as the crowd applaud for him, he avoided directly looking at the humans. As a result, he almost tripped over his left foot on his way to the front.

 _Keep it together,_ Mabel scolded through a three-way mind link but outwardly giggled. “My, my, what a cutie,” she purred as she hooked an arm around Will’s. “Say hello to the people, William.”

“H-hello,” the dream demon smiled uncertainly as he rubbed the back of his neck. There was the unmistakable shrieking of teenage girls among the cheering. Really, Dipper should not be surprised that Will would gain attention but he didn’t expect for it to be so soon. It rubbed Dipper the wrong way. Will Cipher was _his_ dream demon.

 _Nervous, Cipher?_ Dipper thought smugly with a hint of resentment. 

 _Is it that obvious?_  Will locked eyes with Dipper. Immediately, the psychic felt an influx of exhaustion coming from the dream demon. Still, he could not break eye contact first. The stage lights brought out Will’s eyes brilliantly.

Mabel cast a knowing smirk to Dipper’s direction before saying, “Isn’t he just handsome, Dipper?”

Heat rushed to Dipper’s face. Some of the audience members whistled and howled, much to Dipper’s embarrassment. At the corner of his eye, Will was hiding his chuckle by coughing. It was as if everyone inside the Tent was in on a joke that Dipper did not understand. The brunet swallowed, “Uhh… That, er, depends if you like guys with blue eyes or…whatever.”

_What the hell, Mabel?_

_Subtext, brother of mine, figure it out._     

As much as Dipper loved mysteries and clue, he had enough on his plate already.

“Tonight, we will be performing a trick that we have never done before! Behold!” Mabel dramatically flung her arms as the stage crew brought out the upright casket with spikes inside. There was a small sliding door on the lid where the head presumably would be. Days before the show, Mabel drew protective sigils that she found in the Journal on the back of the casket. The sigils assured that any person inside would not feel any pain. Hence, Will would not lose control over himself. “Our shiny new assistant will be inside, while Dipper and I stick blades through the wood.”

Dipper added. “Do not attempt this trick at home.” He grinned at the demon. “Are you ready?” Not that the demon had a choice in the matter. _Heal yourself quickly and don’t leave any blood stains._

 _Of course, Master._ After a nod, the Gleeful twins ushered Will inside the casket and shut the door. The spectators held their breath as the stage crew rolled in a table display of sharpened blades. _Calm yourself,_ Dipper reminded Mabel when he saw the dark look in her eyes. _We have an audience so don’t get carried away._

Unsurprisingly, the brunette was first to pick up a saw and positioned it where Will’s torso presumably was. The blade went through smoothly. She masked her sadistic laughter when the crowd gasped. “Your turn, brother dear,” she flipped her brown locks.

The male twin selected a double-edged sword. Clenching the grip tighter, Dipper lifted the sword which was heavier than it looked. He used his telekinesis to aid him as the blade penetrated the wooden surface.

This went on for a while until most of the weapons were jabbed through the casket. With each blade through, the tension thickened among the audience. Since there was no spillage of blood, it was safe to assume that the demon was doing his job well enough. However, Dipper was becoming increasingly tired and sleepy. The usage of power was taking its toll on him and -in a lesser degree- Mabel.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Mabel addressed the crowd. The anxiety was thick and almost tangible in the atmosphere. “My brother and I are skilled in the art of illusions and tricks. Rest assured; we are professionals. Everything is perfectly okay.”

As she was reciting her little speech, Dipper peeked inside through the mini sliding door. It was dark and the only source of light was the opening. In the limited amount of light, Dipper could make out eyes that glowed…yellow. The brunet’s stomach dropped at the sight of those piercing orbs teasing him. _Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit._  

“Hiya, Pine Tree!” Bill, inhabiting Will’s human form, greeted excitedly. His wicked grin revealed a set of pointed teeth that looked about ready to tear skin. “I gotta say I’m enjoying the show. When are ya gonna let me out of this-”

Dipper hurriedly closed the door without thinking. His brain was going haywire as panic made his hands shake. _How did this happen? Why now?_

_Dip, what’s wrong?_

_It’s Bill. He took over Will._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr: danini-dip


	5. Field Test (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no update :(  
> On the brighter side: longer chapter (much longer than I'm used too actually haha)  
> While everyone's enjoying their summer vacation, my school year actually started already...and the workload is definitely not gonna get any lighter. The only reason I was able to update was because there was a typhoon and classes got suspended for days. (To everyone who was affected, I hope you're safe and sound!)  
> Also...  
> Thank you so very much for kudos and comment. You have no idea how much they mean to me!

It took exactly two seconds before Mabel’s mind burst with panic which synchronized with Dipper’s. Their tiredness was instantly replaced with anxiety and trepidation. In a matter of seconds, they were able to relay mental messages to each other before the audience, still on the edge of their seats, took notice.

_Dipper, what are we gonna do? I don’t know if I can use up any more magic!_

_Neither can I… However, we can’t end the show at the middle of the act! Rumors will spread and it’ll ruin our reputation._

_But we can’t let Bill out! Who knows what he’ll do? Not even Grunkle Stan and Soos can handle this. For all we know, Bill could start killing people. We’ll get into so much trouble! Oh my god, oh my god-_

_We… don’t know that for sure._ Dipper cringed at how unconvincing and doubtful his argument was even to himself. Whenever he his cool disposition slipped, Dipper’s skin would heat up and he would start getting all sweaty. This time was definitely not an exception. The spotlights seemed to watch his every move and time seemed to speed up considerably. 

 _I’m right here in this coffin_. _It’s so rude of you to talk about me when I can hear your thoughts loud and clear. You know, technically this human form is still tied to you both._ Bill’s voice droned in the twin’s heads.

The solution was suddenly so obvious. There was only one way to get rid of the demon and that was through negotiation. Perhaps it was the agitation that made the option more appealing, yet it was the only way. _Mabel, distract the crowd. Buy me some time._

Comforted by the fact Dipper had a plan and placing her complete trust in him, Mabel didn’t waste a second before she went on an impromptu monologue about the twins’ international tour while assuring the audience that Gravity Falls would always be their favourite place. She was a gifted orator, successfully dispersing the previous tension and earning a few guffaws when she retold anecdotes. Also, she was a convincing actress; none of the spectators suspected any trouble. Mabel’s twisted nerves were unravelling bit by bit as she relished in the attention.

Meanwhile, Dipper had to look busy on stage. He went to the side of the casket and readied himself to pull out one of the blades that surely punctured the demon’s chest. Unsurprisingly, his hands were a bit slick with perspiration. He regulated his breathing and pushed the fear to the back of his mind. _What do you want from us, Cipher?_

_What? I can’t drop by and say hi?_

Dipper heaved. Magicians on TV made it look so easy. Then again, magicians didn’t actually stick swords through their assistants’ bodies. He could not help but inwardly sigh in relief when the blade came out untarnished and bloodless. Dipper returned his snarky comment. _Your timing is impeccable._

Bill’s chuckle resonated in Dipper’s mind. _Well, I was hoping that you’ve changed your mind and wanted a deal._

 _No, I don’t want to sell my soul to you._ The brunet returned the blade, placing it on the table. He was vaguely aware of some glances being thrown his way from the audience. Bill’s offer was still tempting but much less now since Dipper was dealing with the demon’s irksome attitude. The Gleeful was more than confident he can find a way to get information without the help of the crazy demon.  

_Hey, no one said anything about selling souls._

_Just leave my servant’s body already._ Dipper continued retrieving blades and returning them to the table. His twin was demonstrating a card trick she picked up from their Grunkle Stan. “Behold! Your card! See, it has your signature on it!” There were gasps and applause, sweet music to Mabel’s ears.

_Not my fault you made it so easy to just take over this meatbag. Overworking poor Will and draining his energy just so you bratty children can show off. Will’s out cold right now, in case you haven’t figured it out. If I left this body, you’d be stuck with an unconscious assistant, so, technically, I just saved your asses. You could return the favour and let me out of this thing. I hate this box, by the way; it’s confining and I can’t move because of these pointy objects. Besides…I don’t think you would want your fans to get the wrong impression here._

The brunet frowned deeply. His fingers were curled around the grip of a double-edged sword. Pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. No wonder he felt a wave of fatigue earlier when he locked eyes with Will. Recalling the incident a few nights ago when Will was able to sense his frustration, their shared bond must be a two-way thing. Suddenly, Dipper felt really foolish to be so preoccupied with numerous hypothetical situations that he overlooked an obvious fact.

 _Oh wow, kid, that_ is _pretty insensitive of you. I sure am glad you’re not my Pine Tree or I would have plagued you with nightmares and burnt your house down by now._

The psychic stopped himself from harshly yanking out the next blade just to spite the garrulous demon. He had to remind himself that he was currently at a disadvantage…but Bill did not need to know that. _How about we make an agreement, Cipher?_

That piqued the demon’s interest. _What sort of agreement do you have in mind, kid?_

Dipper easily pulled Mabel’s saw from the casket. It was first blade to pierce through the demon and the last one Dipper retrieved. _I’ll let you out but you can’t do anything to ruin the show. That includes homicide, arson, and…being yourself. And cut it out the glowing eyes._

 _Aww, no fun!_ The demon reconsidered his options. _Yeah, sure, whatever, Pine Tree._

The brunet dropped the saw on top of the pile of sharp objects before heading to his twin’s side. Mabel had moved on from card tricks to telling everyone about that time Dipper almost threw up before their performance for the Queen of England. “You should have seen his face! He was so nervous and his face went this weird shade of green-“

“I think they’ve heard enough, Mabel.”

“How when you tripped on your own foot right in front of the Queen-“

“Anyway,” Dipper interrupted her before she can embarrass him any further. “Ladies and gentlemen, the resolution for our final act… Mabel, if you please.” The latter unlocked the casket, revealing the unharmed assistant. Bill, with golden irises, sauntered out of the casket, grinning ear to ear in a manner that was definitely not Will-like. There was cheering and a number of people stood up in appreciation.

Dipper heard Bill’s vulgar complaints the moment he stepped out of the sigil-protected casket. _Oh fuck. Will’s gonna feel so sore in the morning._

“How about a round of applause for our assistant, Will!” Mabel held up the demon’s hand triumphantly. Again, the screams only grew louder when Bill, posing as Will, winked their way. The girls were going nuts for Dipper’s servant who was technically unconscious. Dipper tried not to roll his eyes and pout.

“We hope you enjoyed our show!” Mabel gripped Dipper’s hand and held it up as well. All three of them bowed together. The members of the audience gave them a standing ovation. Dipper felt somewhat lighter. He always enjoyed the end of performances when everyone was just marvelling at how talented and special he and Mabel were.

Dipper smiled as the curtains were closing. “Thank you for tonight, Gravity Falls!”

As soon as the curtains met at the middle of the stage, Dipper hunched his back and let out a wide yawn. Swiftly, Mabel released Dipper’s hand and twisted Bill’s arm behind his back. The demon’s shrieks were muffled by a recording of Grunkle Stan screaming at fans to buy Gleeful Twins merchandise. “BUY MORE GLEEFUL TWINS KEYCHAINS! BUY MORE KEYCHAINS!” The brunette had a tight grip on Bill’s other arm, her perfectly manicured nails digging into his skin. “Walk,” she commanded in an icy tone.

“Gotta admit, I really like this side of you.” Bill commented as Mabel pushed him towards her dressing room backstage. Luckily, they didn’t pass by any staff member. It would have been a bit complicated to explain why Mabel was treating their assistant like a captive. Once they were inside, Dipper shut the door with a ‘thud’. Mabel’s dressing room was very similar to his; there was a mirror, a vanity table, a closet and a velvet sofa for guests. His twin shoved the demon face first to land ungracefully on the sofa opposite to Mabel’s table and mirror. Glaring, Mabel settled down on her personal chair (the one with her name on the back) and crossed her arms and legs. “What do you want from us?”

“Didn’t the old man teach you manners? Kids these days are so rude. Ruining my deals, pissing me off, locking me in a casket,” Bill smirked as he righted himself on the sofa. In a manner that Dipper could only describe as “cat-like”, Bill stretched his arms above his head before draping himself on the sofa, hands at the back of the seat and legs wide apart. Dipper watched as Bill ran his hands through blue hair. Sure, he _looked_ like Will but the similarities ended there.

“How do we get our demon back?” Dipper blurted out, leaning against the door. Unconsciously, he mirrored his twin’s crossed arms and glared.

Bill’s yellow eyes glowed brighter as his gaze settled on Dipper’s exposed forehead, observing it with mild interest. As the hostility on Dipper’s eyes intensified, so did the size of Bill’s shit-eating grin. “He’ll wake up soon enough… What’s that stupid human saying? Patience is a virtue.”

Dipper turned towards his twin. “Maybe there’s something in the Journal-“

She shifted on her seat and propped an elbow on the chair’s arm, stifling a yawn. Dipper’s eyelids were getting heavier by the second. Bill was absently rubbing his aching arms and blinking more frequently than normal. The overuse of magic was taking a toll on them. Once they’ve dealt with the yellow-eyed pest and returned Will to their side, Dipper was going to send Mabel straight to bed. Maybe he should get some sleep himself too. “I’ve read that thing cover to cover. The only demon-related entry is the ritual to summon Will.”

The demon sat up in attention. “I can help-“

The Gleefuls snapped in unison, “no!”

“C’mon! I'm a demon. I can tell you all about demons. All you have to do make a deal!”

“All this talk about a deal but you won’t tell us what you want in return.” Mabel said critically through gritted teeth.

“Your dilemma is more urgent.” Bill leaned forward from his spot and extended a hand to her. “Just a little favor…We can work out the details later.”

Noting the way both twins were skeptical and blatantly unimpressed, the demon folded his fingers behind his neck, cradling his head. In an off-hand voice, Bill mused, “I know where all the Journals are.”

The Gleefuls were astonished at the demon’s revelation; they snapped awake as if lightning had struck. Mabel gawked at the demon as if he spouted another head. Dipper couldn’t possible fathom _how_ Bill knew. “Y-you’re joking, right? Will… said they were demon-protected. That’s not-“

There was a knock on the door where Dipper was leaning on. Bill chuckled while Mabel hid her amused smile when the teenager yelped in surprise. Behind the door, Wendy’s muffled voice called out, “Yo, Dip, Mabes, there are two kids here to see you. It’s the kid who volunteered earlier with his buddy. Says you wanted to meet them after.”

 _I forgot about them._ Dipper pressed his lips together to an annoyed line. “Give us a moment, Wendy.”

 _Behave or I’ll exorcize you._ Mabel gave Bill the “I’m watching you” gesture followed by slitting her throat with her pointer finger to emphasize that she will terminate his entire being if he slips up.

Dipper unlocked the door. He stepped aside to let Gideon and the blonde into Mabel’s spacious dressing room. “Thanks, Wendy.” He smiled to the young adult. Both Mabel and Dipper were on friendly terms with Wendy, who had a laid-back disposition and a dark sense of humor. Mabel admired in particular how she managed to wear all-black outfits under the intense heat of the summer sun. The twins waved bye to Wendy who acknowledged them with a two-fingered salute before spinning on her heels and strolling away.

“Oh, wow! This is _so cool_! I’m actually at Mabel Gleeful’s dressing room!” The blonde was vibrating with giddiness. It made Dipper’s head spin to watch her bounce around all over the room as she took everything in. Her sneakers lit up with every step she took and her neon purple sweater was an eyesore to Dipper. It was like she stepped straight out of an 80’s retro film. Dipper placed his weight against the vanity table; this was going to be a long and tiring conversation.

“Don’t mind her.” Gideon said with a touch of fondness underlying his Southern drawl. “She’s just excited is all.” Despite the casual comment, Gideon avoided looking directly at anyone and anything except his companion. It was like he was afraid she would get lost the moment he turned away.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” She squealed. “I’ve waited for so long to meet the Gleeful Twins, which is _totally silly_ since we live at the same place and I’ve been seeing you both around town since, like, forever! Not that I was stalking! It’s a small town after all and you both stand out – not in a bad way, of course! I’m just so amazed that I’m actually talking to you! That sounded a bit creepy – I… I should shut up now.” She ended with an awkward laugh.

 _How she was able to say all of that without pausing is very impressive._ Bill remarked. Dipper had to concur with Bill’s observation, slightly overwhelmed by the girl’s abundant energy and how it wore him out more. He rapidly blinked away sleepiness as best as he could.

“No, no, it’s okay! I’m just sorry we haven’t talked to you before.” Mabel cooed as she uncrossed her legs. “I’m Mabel. That’s Dipper. Over there is Will.”

The blonde was star-struck; jaw slacked because it was _Mabel Gleeful_. Her lips parted slightly as her cheeks were colored rosy pink. “I-I’m Pacifica Pines, Paz for short, and this is my cousin, Gideon Pines.” She wound her arm through the shorter boy’s and pulled him to her side roughly. Gideon let out a noise of distress.

Dipper rolled his eyes when Mabel giggled. “Please, take a seat on the sofa.”

 _Move over, Cipher._ She narrowed her eyes at Bill who resentfully shifted to the edge of the sofa. The Pines cousins accepted Mabel’s hospitableness; Gideon anxiously sat himself down while Pacifica flopped on the velvet sofa between Bill and Gideon.

“What happened to your hand, kid?” Bill raised an eyebrow at Pacifica’s a patch of discoloured skin on her wrist. His tone was politely curious.

“Oh this,” Pacifica scrunched her nose at a purple bruise, experimentally pressing on it with her other hand. She folded the cloth to reveal nasty bruises littering on her forearm suspiciously in the shape of bite marks. “I had a little incident in the forest.”

“It looks bad,” Bill feigned -Dipper was certain it wasn’t genuine- concerned. “What were you doing in the forest?” Dipper was convinced the demon knew exactly what Pacifica Pines was doing in the forest.

“Looking for mysteries to solve,” Pacifica bitterly muttered something about “those clingy gnomes” and “their stupid pointy hats” under her breath. She quickly waved off her annoyance when she remembered she was in the presence of the Gleefuls and perked up. “Last week we found pixies in the forest-“

Gideon was quick to correct her, hastily holding up his hands. He helplessly tried to catch Pacifica’s attention, but the blonde was wrapped up in impressing the twins and Bill. “Paz, t-they were harmless-“

Pacifica didn’t seem to get the subtle message. “But the monster in the lake wasn’t! It tried to eat our boat and it left a huge tooth!” In an attempt to highlight how enormous the aquatic creature’s tooth was, Pacifica extended her arms as wide as she can. “Bigger than this!”

Gideon elbowed his cousin, imploring his cousin to stop talking through non-verbal communication. The girl became sheepish at Gideon’s silent plea.

However, Dipper wanted to know more. This was it; he could get confirmation that these two had the Journal. “How did you find these creatures?”

Distrust was etched on the boy’s pudgy face. “I… don’t mean to be rude but I’d rather not say.”

“Why not? Did ya steal it from someone?” Bill teased lightly. Dipper noticed that the demon was pinching the skin of his hand as an attempt to keep him awake. The psychic revelled at the irony: a dream demon trying to stay awake.

Gideon, all red in the face, was quick to dispel assumptions. He removed his cap from his head. “Goodness, no! No, I would never-“

“If you didn’t do anything wrong, you’ve got nothing to hide.” Dipper pointed out.

“Dipper, be polite.” Mabel tutted half-heartedly. She stage whispered to the Pines. “Excuse my brother; he’s a bit socially awkward.”

“Hey,” Dipper grumbled. He swore he saw Bill’s smirking at him from the corner of his eye.

“It’s a Journal.” Gideon fessed up. “I found the Journal in the forest on my first day here.”

“It was hidden in some sort of metal tree, kinda creepy and rusty.” Pacifica recalled.

“May I see it?” Dipper licked his lips in anticipation. It was so close and within his reach.

Wringing his cap in his hands, Gideon looked like he was sweating buckets. “I-I left it at the Shack.” It was a complete lie and Dipper knew it. Guilt was written all over the kid’s pale face.

 _He’s lying! I bet he has it right now in his vest._ Dipper clenched his teeth.

 _Patience, bro-bro._ Mabel combed her hair with her fingers, “maybe next time then.”

“Next time?” Pacifica’s eyes lit up. “Does… Does that mean you want to hang-out? With us?”

“Of course! We are friends now, aren’t we?” Mabel’s voice was as sweet as honey.

Suddenly, Gideon stood up from the sofa and grabbed his cousin by the arm. “We… We should go now. Ya’ll been so nice but, uh, we have to leave. My pa is probably waiting for us b-back at the Shack. C’mon, Paz.”

“So soon?” Pacifica was forced to stand up. Her expression scrunched up in dejection at their abrupt departure.

“Gideon’s right. It’s getting late.” Mabel followed suit and rose from her personalized chair. “It’s been lovely meeting the both of you. We’ll see you soon.” Gideon’s face broke into a thankful smile, and Pacifica beamed brightly.

“Oh! Oh! Oh!” The blonde jumped up and down, producing a small notebook covered in random stickers from her pocket. “Could you please sign this for me?”

“Of course,” Mabel took a dark blue marker from the top of her vanity table (she always had one ready for emergency autograph signings). She signed her name in her flowery handwriting then handed it to Dipper, who scrawled his name on the blank space below Mabel’s. “Thank you, so, so much!” Pacifica hugged the notebook to her chest.   

After exchanging quick goodbyes, the two kids were finally out the door.

Dipper’s brain started concocting a new plan of action. But how can he obtain the Journal from those Pines kids without exposing themselves? Judging by the Gideon’s hesitance towards Dipper, it would be too suspicious to simply steal the Journal. The kid was already iffy of the Gleeful twins, Dipper in particular. That being said, blackmail was out of the question and bribery would be futile.   

“I can totally handle this, bro-bro. I can get that Journal.” Mabel declared proudly. “I’ll just get close to Pacifica, which will pacify Gideon. Then, I can just convince Pacifica to “lend” me the Journal.” She made air quotations with her fingers. “But I won’t be actually borrowing it, if you know what I mean.”

Dipper was half-convinced her plan stemmed from her desire to actually get to know the neon-loving ball of energy, but he relented to her crazy proposal anyway, whatever makes his twin happy. “Alright, okay.”

Bill piped in sarcastically. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

Dipper scoffed. “For what?”

“Excuse you, Pine Tree. I directed the Journal your way, even got _Lil Gideon_ to confess.”

“I didn’t need your help to do that. Besides, I saw the Pine Tree symbol from afar-“

“-which you found out because of me.” Bill returned to his previous lounging on the sofa. “Great job scaring him away; I’m sure he’s looking forward to being intimidated by you again. You’re just lucky Shooting Star knows how to make friends.”

Bill wanted to get a rise out of him, pushing all his buttons just to watch him blow up. No, Dipper would not give him that satisfaction, yet his fists clenched to his sides as he took a step forward. Biting down on his tongue, Dipper fumed in silence.

“Enough, both of you,” Mabel spat out. “There’s still one more Journal.”

“You know the drill, kid. If you want answers, you shake my hand.” Bill winked wantonly.

“Like hell that’ll ever happen.” Dipper hissed. The demon was plucking at Dipper’s nerves like a harp. Not the first time that evening, Dipper wished his timid servant was in the place of the yellow pain in the ass. He just wanted his servant back already and to collapse on his bed. Was that too difficult?

“What about the Author? Will can’t say anything…but do you know who they are?”

Bill shrugged indifferently.

“This is a waste of my time.” Dipper said mostly to himself.

“Heh, you kids will need me soon.” Bill got up on both feet and approached the twins. For a second, Dipper though the demon was going to punch him in the face or smack him against the wall. Instead, he plucked the marker from Mabel’s desk. He scribbled a string of words on top of her table. “When you change your mind, just light a candle and recite this. I’ll come in a blink of an eye.”

Before Mabel can protest about the vandalism on her dressing room table, the demon’s golden irises bled to Will’s light blue shade. Immediately, the demon clutched the side of the table as he fell on his knees. “I…” Will blinked slowly as if he were readjusting to reality and the searing pain his body was enduring.

At this point, Dipper's actions were more automatic and habitual. He seized his servant up to his feet by the hair. Will’s hand flew to where Dipper was holding him with an iron fist. The brunet’s voice was gruff with crankiness. “You idiot, do you know what you almost cost us?”

“I’m sorry, M-master.” Will’s breathing was shallow. “I’m sorry for my weakness.”

_Overworking poor Will and draining his energy just so you bratty children can show off._

Dipper’s grip slacked before he himself realized it. His tone softened slightly. “Next time, don’t hesitate to tell us if you can’t continue anymore. We can’t have you fainting from exhaustion again.”

“Yes, Master.” Dipper let him go. It had been a very stressful day. He sighed as he settled down on the sofa, rubbing his weary eyes like a child.

“What did happen to you?” Mabel cocked her head to the side, too drained to lash out on the demon.

“Uh, well, my powers are more limited outside of the Mindscape. Using up so much and sustaining a human form is very difficult.” He quickly added, “Not-not that I’m complaining, Mistress!”

Dipper rubbed the back of his neck. “I think it’s about time we hold up our end of the deal. We should start sacrificing soon.” More sacrifices would give the dream demon more power, which would benefit the twins in their upcoming plans.

“Tomorrow,” Mabel yawned. “Let’s gets some rest first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr: danini-dip  
> Freak out with me about the upcoming Gravity Falls episode!!1!


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